Financial foundation

Debt vs Retirement Decision Router

Order liquidity, required payments, employer match, debt protections, and retirement progress without using a universal interest-rate cutoff.

This is sequencing support, not a payoff command. Use broad categories only. The tool does not need balances, rates, account numbers, lender names, or employer identity.

Effective year: 2026 where dated federal figures are used. Policy and source review: July 12, 2026. Verify current official rules before acting.

Employer retirement match status

The plan document controls the formula, eligible pay, and vesting.

Emergency-savings range

Use months of essential expenses, not an exact balance.

Debt category that matters most

Federal student loans and private debt require different decision paths.

Could Public Service Loan Forgiveness apply?

Use Not sure until the employer and loan records are verified.

Current cash-flow pressure

A plan that cannot survive the next month is not optimized.

Open the full student-loan section when federal or private student loans control the decision.

Educational only. Community Acquired Finance provides general educational information only. It is not financial, investment, tax, legal, insurance, medical, billing, employment, or benefits advice, and its tools do not make official eligibility, coverage, authorization, tax, billing-liability, or plan determinations. Estimates may be incomplete, outdated, or inapplicable to a specific person, plan, state, employer, provider, or claim. Verify important details with current official sources, controlling documents, government agencies, insurers, employers, billing offices, and qualified professionals.